Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 January 2019
242. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the review statistics on placement stability for children in care will be published for 2016 and 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4495/19]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, publish figures on placement stability in the annual Review of Adequacy report. The most recent Review of Adequacy, for 2016, was published in 2018.
At the end of December 2016, there were 169 children in their third or greater placement within the previous 12 months. This amounts to about 2.7% of children in care at the end of 2016. The comparable in Great Britain is approximately 10% of their care populations. Depending on the individual circumstance, a child on first coming into care could be placed initially overnight in an emergency foster care placement before moving to a short term placement while an assessment is undertaken of their circumstances. This could lead to an application to the Courts for a Care Order and a long term placement.
The data used in the compilation of the Review of Adequacy does not become available for up to 10 months after year-end, and the collection, validation and review of the other material used in the Review can add further delays. I understand that the 2017 Report is currently in the drafting stage.
